Domino and art of making the same



Patented July 3, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

TOM G. GRAHAM, OF ALBANY, NElV YORK, ASSIGNOR 'IO EMBOSSING COMPANY,

. OF ALBANY, NEW YORK, A CORJPORATION OF NEW YORK.

DOMINO AND ART OF MAKING THE SAME.

Application filed November 9, 1926. Serial No. 147,234.

In the manufacture of dominoes by the method most commonly in use the domino is formed by die-pressing a wooden blank, the die which shapes the face being provided with one or more raised portions which produce a corresponding number of depressions or recesses in the face of the blank, which depressions are afterwards painted or other wise colored to form the pips or dots. In the method referred to, which has been in use-tor nearly sixty years without change in principle, a separate face-die is required for each domino denomination, so that for a set in which the denominations range from double blank to double six, twenty-eight differentdies are needed, while for the popular doublenine set no less than fifty-five dies are necessary. The same applies to molds for making dominoes by molding a plastic composition as many difi erent molds being needed as there are different denominations in the set. It is easily seen that the dies or molds are subject to deterioration in use, chiefly by reason of wear. Hence they must be replaced from time to time, and at substantial expense, since dies and molds of the quality and accuracy required are costly.

Acmrding to my present invention as carried out in the preferred way, only a single die or mold is needed for an entire set. This single die is constructed with at least as many pip-forming portions or recesses as the number of pips required for a domino of high denomination, so that all the dominoes will have recessed pip-areas in excess of the numbers needed for lower denominations. The pip-areas are also shaped and arrzirnged to produce an ornamental or pleasing design on the face of the domino. Having termed the dominoes, each with the maximum number of recessed pip-areas. the latter are painted or otherwise colored to term the diiterent denominations. For example, for a set of double-six, which requires twenty-eight dominoes, one is left with all its pip-areas uncolored. This is the double-blank. on another a single area is colored, on one end of the domino, to make the blank-one. On another, two areas are colored, to make the blank-two, and so on with the entire set, the double-six being formed by coloring all twelve pip-areas.

Referring" to the accompanying drawing.

E 1 shows in perspective a domino made by my method.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same domino with seven pip-areas colored, making a three-four.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view illustrating diagrammatically a convenient method of shaping wooden dominoes.

In the dominoes illustrated, the pip-areas,

as 10, are square, or, in general, polygonal, and are separated from each other by ribs 11. Stated otherwise, the pip-'areasand the intervening; spaces are at different elevations. The dominoes shown are also bounded by marginal ribs 12, and the two halves are separated by a transverse rib 13. Inthe case of square pip-recesses they are preterably arranged with their diagonals vertical and horizontal, that is, parallel to the ends and sides of the block. The blocks shown have thirteen pip-areas in each half, and hence can be used to make. a doublethirteen set or a lesser number, as for example double-six or double-nine, by coloring the appropriate pipa reas, the areas for cel oring being preferably those which are symn'ietrically located with respect to the vertical or horizontal center line of the half containinggsuch spaces. For example, in Fig. 2 the colored areas 14, 15, 16 in the upper half are symmetrical with respect to both center lines or axes, as are also the four colored areas in the lower half. It will be understood, however, that any other arrangement, symmetrical or unsymmetrical, can he used if desired. Usually, however, it is better to adopt arrangements which are not only symmetrical but also sharply distinctive. A more or less diamond-shape contour, square or rhomboidal, tor the pipareas isalso desirable, as affording a pleasing appearance and also permit-ting adjoining areas to be colored alike and still be distinctly separate to the eye. Thus in the top half of Fig. 2, the player at a single glance sees three pips, even though they are adjoining, whereas if areas 17, 1.5 and 18 were colored alike their number would be much less readily seen.

The color or colors used for the recessed pip-areas should be contrastive with respect to the other portions of the domino, especially the ribs or other intervening spaces. Preferably the block is black or some other dark color to mask the soiling incident to handling, and the pips are white, but for convenience the dominoes illustrated are shown as being white with black pips.

The dominoes are preferably made of dry hard wood with the grain perpendicular to the face, the block being powerfully compressed to increase the density of the wood, impart a smooth polished finish, and form the recessed pip-areas and intervening spaces. These operations can be conveniently performed by any suitable means, as for example the dies illustrated diagrammatically in Fig. 3. The block 19, cut somewhat larger than the finished domino is to be, is placed in the flaring top of the tubular die-E20. It is then pushed down into the die by the plunger die 21, which also presses it against the lower die one of the dies 21, 22' is shaped to form The end of pip-recesses of the desired shape and ar rangement and the end of the other may have an ornamentalpattern, so that the two faces of the domino are correspondingly embossed.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the details herein specifically described, since these may be Varied within the spirit of the invention defined by the appended claims.

I claim 1. In the art of making dominoes, the improvement comprising shaping the dominoes and providing each with pip-areas in numberssuitable for-dom1noes of high denominations and separated from each other by intervening spaces of the same color as but different elevation from the pip-areas themselves, and coloring different numbers of pip-areas 011 the several dominoes to provide the desired denominations, dominoes contrastively to the other pip-areas of lower denominations being left with one or more pip-areas ofthe same color as the intervening spaces.

2. In'the art of making dominoes, the im ,provementcomprising shaping the dominoes and forming the face of each with ribs providing recessed, areas of lower elevation bounded and separated by the ribs but of the same color as the latter and in number equal to the number of pips required for a domino of high denomination, and coloring different numbers of areas on the several dominoes contrastively to the other pipareas to provide the pips for the desired denominations, leaving excess areas with the same color as the ribs.

3. In the art of making dominoes, the improvement comprising shaping the dominoes and forming the face of each with ribs forming an ornamental symmetrical pattern providing recessed areas of lower elevation of the same color as the ribs and bounded and separated by the ribs and in number equal to the number of pips required for a domino of high denomination, and coloring difi'erent numbers of such areas on the several dom inoes contrastively to the other area to provide the pips for the desired denominations, leaving the excess areas with the same color as the ribs.

, t. In the art of making dominoes, the improvement comprising shaping the dominoes and forming the face of each with ribs intersecting at right angles to provide rightangled areas of lower elevation bounded and separated by the ribs'and in number equal to the number of pips required for a domino of high denomination, and coloring different numbers of areas on the several dominoes to provide the pips for the desired denominations, leaving the excess areas uncolored.

5. In the art of making dominoes, the improvement comprising shaping the dominoes and providing each with polygonal pipareas in numbers suitable for dominoes of high denominations and separated from each other. by intervening spaces of different eleva-tion from the pipe-areas themselves, and coloring and leaving uncolored different numbers of pip-areas on different dominoes to provide different denominations.

6. A set of dominoes each having on its face recessed pip-areasin numbers suitable for dominoes of high denomination, bounded and separated from each other by intervening spaces of the same color, the areas of different dominoes being distinctively colored in dilferent numbers to form pips of the different denominational numbers, each domino of lower denomination having one or more pip-areas of the same coloras the intervening spaces.

(LA set of dominoes each having on its face ribs defining intermediate areas of low er elevation separated by the ribs and in number equal to the number of pipe of a domino of high denomination, different numbers of such areas being distinctively colored on the several dominoes to form the different denominations and the other areas being of the same color as the ribs.

In testimony whereof I hereto aflix my signature.

TOM C; GRAHAM. 

